Litigation

Contact Person Dimitrios Christopoulos

Sensible dispute resolution – litigation with passion. This slogan has guided our work over the years, and it is just as applicable today as it was back then when we started out. In an ideal scenario, we prevent disputes from happening in the first place by advising you on how to avert risks. For example, we design risk-minimising contracts and general terms and conditions of business, or advise you on regulatory compliance issues.

When conflicts are unavoidable, we take a level-headed, but also a passionate approach to litigation. In each phase we develop pragmatic solutions that serve your best interests. We are just as at home in in the national and international arbitration courts as we are in the German state courts and before government authorities.

As a ‘big law boutique’ we unite the quality standards of a big law firm with highly specialised teams in each of our practice areas. Interdisciplinary collaboration enables us to litigate with the highest level of professional competence and sector know-how, supported by the Legal Tech team where appropriate. We additionally benefit from access to the local specialist lawyers in our large international network when dealing with cross-border issues. As a commercial law firm we also advise and represent clients in consumer class action lawsuits.

WE HAVE SPECIAL EXPERTISE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

Our HR.Law team advises and represents clients in actions against unfair dismissal, court proceedings involving management boards or directors, works council decision-making processes, proceedings to establish social security status, works council election result disputes, defence against claims for (variable) injunctive relief and lawsuits for the adjustment of company pension benefits.

We represent companies as well as their managers, directors and executive boards in connection with all professional and executive body liability-related issues, generally in connection with D&O insurance, supported by the experts in our Insurance team. The fact that many big law firms trust us to represent them in professional liability cases is the most honest compliment of all.

Our Data.Law team represents national and international corporate clients in all disputes related to data protection law with authorities, enterprises and individuals. It primarily focuses on defence against administrative fines and damages compensation claims made by private individuals. Our Data.Law team supports the experts in our other focus groups in their data-related legal disputes and in claims related to data protection (e.g. requests for information by data subjects, disclosure of data, damages compensation claims in connection with cyberattacks or in M&A scenarios).

The consultants in our expert teams are top lawyers with specialist experience in fast-track administrative and judicial claims enforcement and defence, warnings, temporary injunctions as well as proceedings on precautionary attachment or preventive detention.

Our IP team represents national and international clients in proceedings for the defence and enforcement of their industrial property rights, particularly trademarks, designs, patents and (employee) inventions, as well as in disputes relating to the breach of research, development and licensing agreements, personal rights, copyright and trade secrets as well as disputes relating to unfair competition (Unfair Competition Act), including actions for the substantiation of green claims.

We work with our Transactions team in company law dispute litigation, which can involve acting as the defence counsel for clients in legal actions taken against resolutions of the annual general meeting, or in disputes with shareholders or supervisory bodies.

Our supra-regional, interdisciplinary Commercial team represents clients in disputes between contract partners, importers and logistics service providers, principals and agents, franchisors and franchisees and in disputes between project and cooperation partners, as well as providing support with contracts for work and services, and in the area of contract manufacturing.

We and our Real Estate team we litigate in proceedings relating to commercial leases, particularly defects in the leased premises, the application of escalation clauses, lease termination and warranty claims under contracts for the sale and purchase of real estate.

We and the experts in our Restructuring and Insolvency team advise and represent clients in their defence of liability claims under insolvency law, particularly those relating to revocatory actions or executive body liability for the belated filing of an insolvency application. Vice versa, we also represent insolvency administrators in the process of enforcing claims under bankruptcy law.

Our IP team represents clients in disputes with a strongly technical orientation. We have special expertise in the areas of software, open source, hardware warranty and liability, mobility and telecommunication.

Public litigation proceedings are a core element of our Public & Regulatory-Teams team's portfolio. We have vast experience in public litigation, from administrative court to Federal Constitutional Court proceedings, as well as arbitration actions. We particularly focus on climate actions.

The experts in our Pensions Group can advise you on the assessment and defence of claims for company pension benefits by managers, employees or works councils. We represent our corporate clients before all courts and in all instances, before conciliation boards and in arbitration proceedings.

If a post-transaction dispute arises in connection with breaches of warranty, exemption claims or pre-contractual violations of information obligations, we and our Transactions team support you from notification of breach or violation to claim enforcement at the national and international (arbitration) courts. Vice versa, we also represent clients in the defence of such claims. We have special expertise in the enforcement and defence of claims under a W&I or other transactional insurance policy.

Our Product.Law team represents national and international clients in the defence of product liability claims and the coordination of global product recall campaigns. We have special expertise in the medical products and pharmaceuticals business, the food, commodities and cosmetics industries, the textiles and consumer goods sectors, as well as digital and tech enterprises.

Our Tax team advises and represents our clients in administrative and judicial redress proceedings on tax-related issues, particularly appeal proceedings and actions against tax assessments and other fiscal authority notices.

We and our Insurance team represent insurance companies and brokers, as well as insured companies, in liability- and coverage-related disputes. We have special expertise in (arbitration) court disputes involving major loss events in connection with D&O insurance, M&A insurance, employment practice liability insurance, product liability insurance, property insurance and business interruption insurance.

You can depend on us throughout the entire contracting process, from letter of intent to the preparation and review of general terms and conditions of business, the drafting of contracts in accordance with contractual covenants, the assessment of your rights and obligations under existing contracts and their enforcement in administrative and judicial proceedings.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

If you have any questions about litigation, please feel free to mail us.